What format should I deliver in?

H.264 MP4 unless the client explicitly needs a ProRes master for re-editing or a platform-specific spec. Unsure? Ask where it will be played - the answer picks the format for you.

The client asked for a ‘master’ - what is that?

Clarify the use: re-editing means a high-bitrate H.264 or ProRes; archival is fine with high-bitrate H.264. A master is not ‘as big as possible’, it is ‘survives the next encode with minimal loss’.

The file is too big to send - now what?

Pre-compress to the channel: IM file limits, or a 20MB-class email cap. Keep the transfer version separate from the master and say so - transfer copy goes through the channel, master goes via cloud link.

Workflows 4 min read

Video Delivery: A Spec Checklist That Prevents Rework

Finishing the edit is half the job - a delivery bounced back for spec issues costs more than the edit did. Most rework is not creative, it is format, audio track and filename hygiene.

Five checks before handoff

Format: H.264 MP4 is the universal default - it plays on Windows, macOS, phones and the web. Resolution: 1080p for most purposes; ad placements follow the media spec. Bitrate: delivery-grade content should not be squeezed - CRF 23 territory is the sweet spot.

Audio is the classic failure point: sounds fine on your headphones, silent on the client’s laptop speakers. Confirm the track exists, is AAC at 128k or better, and has correct channels. Naming: project, version, date (project_v03_20260917.mp4) - ‘final’ and ‘final2’ are how rework is born.

Write the spec down

‘Make it HD’ and ‘keep it small’ are dispute generators. Put the spec in checkable terms: container MP4, H.264 High Profile, 1080p, target bitrate range, AAC audio, duration, naming rule. Get the client to confirm the list before you render - one pass, no surprises.

Ask about the transfer channel early: cloud drive or instant messaging? IM channels have size caps that force a pre-compressed transfer version, and that belongs in the spec as its own line item.

Verify locally, do not outsource QA to the client

Run a parameter check on the actual file - codec, resolution, bitrate, audio track at a glance - and match it against the list. Two minutes that catch almost every ‘it will not open’ and ‘there is no sound’ email.

Then watch it end to end once: black first frame, cut-off ending, missing subtitles - all catchable by a single playback. Minutes of checking versus days of rework.